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Show: Basil Brush: Unleashed
Society: Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Venue: Venue 302. Underbelly, Bristow Square - Cowbarn
Credits: Broken Robot Productions, So Comedy and Basil Brush Limited
Type: Sardines
Author: Chris Abbott
Performance Date: 16/08/2019
Basil Brush: Unleashed
Chris Abbott | 17 Aug 2019 10:26am
Basil Brush is clearly a name that can bring in a crowd, as the (mostly) silver-haired audience queueing well before start time outside the Underbelly Cowbarn would prove. Mind you, it’s worth queueing early for a show in a large concert hall where the star is as small as Basil. And for the most part the audience got what they expected from this adult version of the show starring the fox puppet, although some of us who grew up in the 1960s have still not quite got used to the current voice of Basil…
Basil and his minder, the current ‘Mister’ Martin Cabble-Reid host the show with guests on video (Mel Giedroyc and Hugh Bonneville) and in person – comedian Mark Watson at the performance I attended. Perhaps the funniest part of the show was the genuine bemusement from Watson when interviewed by a puppet.
In between the chat with the celebrities there is some half-hearted audience participation and even a game of Pass the Parcel with a custard pie. These sections and some of the pre-filmed material using the big screen seemed weak by comparison with the live chat and the apparent ad-libbing between the two performers, where the show really took off. Cabble-Reid is a reliable and hard-working presenter and knows exactly how to give the fox the opportunities he needs.
The real hero of the show, of course, is Basil’s voice and operator, never seen in person as was the case with the late, great Ivan Owen. As this is an adult show we did get various mentions of the man under the table so it is perhaps acceptable to say I am assuming it was Michael Winsor. Whoever it was, he has mastered the difficult art of operating a puppet with great skill, reading a script, ad-libbing while necessary, and improvising with live guests – all from what is no doubt a very difficult position under the table…
Despite the ‘unleashed’ in the title this was a fairly tame show but one with potential. Just scrap the filmed inserts and audience participation and make it all live dialogue with more guests who don’t all need to be celebrities, but keep in the glorious finale where Basil channels Elton John.
- : admin
- : 16/08/2019